Chocolate Week Recipes

Divine chocolate has teamed up with queen of cakes Mary Berry, Masterchef's Greg Wallace and Linda Collister to bring you some choc-tastic recipes just in time for National Chocolate Week.
 

Linda Collister's Fabulously Divine Brownies

Rich fudge brownies filled with juicy raspberries, nuts and white chocolate chunks. 

Makes 24 brownies 

Ingredients

• 2 x 100g bars Divine Dark Chocolate
• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 60g plain flour
• 60g Divine Cocoa Powder
• 50g pecan nuts, chopped
• 1 x 100g bar Divine White Chocolate chopped
• 150g fresh raspberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, Gas 4, fan 160. 
2. Prepare a 28.x 18cm x 2.5cm deep brownie tin or baking tin. Grease tin and line with greaseproof paper.
3. Break up the dark chocolate into squares and put into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Leave to melt stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the pan.
4. Whisk the butter and sugar together in a bowl using an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
5. Add vanilla extract, melted chocolate and stir in gently using a spatula. 
6. Sieve the flour and cocoa into the bowl then fold in the nuts and white chocolate pieces until the mixture is evenly blended.
7. Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Scatter the raspberries over the top of the brownie mixture, top with remaining mixture and spread evenly.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the mixture feels firm when pressed. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin on a wire rack. When cold cut the brownie into 24 squares.

Divine White Chocolate Brownies 

Due to popular demand Divine have created a recipe for white chocolate brownies. Top tip: wrap in cling film and keep for a day to improve the texture.

Makes about 40 brownies 

Ingredients

• 125g (4oz) Divine White Chocolate
• 100g (3oz) butter
• 3 large eggs
• 150g (5oz) castor sugar
• 100g (3oz) chopped skinned hazelnuts or macadamia nuts
• 100g (30z) Divine White Chocolate chopped
• 5ml (1tsp) vanilla extract
• 125oz 4oz) plain flour
• Icing sugar to dust

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ Gas mark 4 Fan 160C. 
2. Grease and line a 23cm (9in) shallow square tin with greaseproof paper.
3. Gently heat some water in a saucepan, place a bowl over with the chocolate and butter – make sure the water does not touch the bowl. Melt the butter over a very gentle heat – melt slowly and gently.
4. Place eggs and sugar in a separate bowl, whisk until well blended. Remove the bowl of chocolate and place the bowl with the egg mixture over the pan of water.
5. Whisk for several minutes until thick and pale. Remove the bowl from the heat, whisk until cool.
6. Using a spatula fold the melted butter and chocolate into the egg mixture with the chopped chocolate and nuts until evenly blended.
7. Sift in the flour and fold in carefully until well blended. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in centre of the oven for 40minutes until just firm to touch.
8. Cool in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar and cut into small squares.

Gregg Wallace 's Chocolate Puddle Pudding 

Serves 5–6

Ingredients

• 250 g (8 oz) Divine Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
• 300 ml (½ pint) milk
• 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
• 50 g (2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 150 g (5 oz) caster sugar
• 2 eggs, separated
• 25 g (1 oz) self-raising flour
• 25 g (1 oz) Divine Cocoa Powder, plus extra for dusting
• Whipped cream, to serve

Method

1. Put the chocolate in a small saucepan with the milk and heat gently until the chocolate has melted. Stir in the brandy if using.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg yolks, flour, cocoa powder and chocolate mixture.
3. Whisk the egg whites in a separate, grease-free bowl until they hold their shape. Using a large metal spoon, fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites.
4. Turn the mixture into a 1.5 litre (2½ pint) pie dish or 8cmx8cm ramekins and place in a roasting tin. Pour boiling water to a depth of 2.5 cm (1 inch) into the tin. Bake in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4 - for about 35 minutes in a pie dish and about 20mins in ramekins - until a crust has formed.
5. Dust generously with cocoa powder and serve hot with whipped cream.

Mary Berry's Wonderful White Chocolate Cheesecake

Queen of cakes Mary Berry's Chocolate Week 2012 recipe is truly heavenly!  

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the base

• 2oz (50g) butter
• 1oz (25g) Divine Dark Chocolate
• 5oz (150g) digestive biscuits, crushed

Filling

• 10oz (300g) Divine White Chocolate, broken into pieces
• 14oz (400g) full fat cream cheese
• 150 ml (¼ pint) soured cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To serve

• Dusting of Divine Cocoa Powder
• About 225g (8oz) fresh strawberries or raspberries

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 160C/Gas 3/ Fan 140C
2. Grease and line the base of an 8" (20cm) deep spring form cake tin with non-stick paper. Melt butter in small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in crushed biscuits and press evenly over the base of the tin – chill in the fridge.
3. Break the white chocolate into a bowl and melt very gently over a pan of hot water (do not allow the chocolate to become too hot), stir occasionally with a spoon until runny and smooth.
4. Whisk the cream cheese and eggs together in a large bowl until smooth, add soured cream and vanilla and whisk again until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir in the melted chocolate and mix together.
5. Pour in the tin and spread evenly over the chilled base. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes until firm around the edge and just set in the middle. Remove from the oven. Using a small palette knife run the knife around the edge of the tin and then allow to cool and chill. Remove the outside ring and lift base onto serving plate.

Serve dusted with cocoa powder and with a few fresh strawberries or raspberries.